Folding door.



E. H. MOCLOUD. FOLDING DOOR. APPLICATION FILED MAB.4,1909.

Patented June 15,1909.

E. H. MOCLOUD. FOLDING DOOR. APPLIOATION FILED MAR.4.1903.

Patented June 15, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.IIIIIIJV witnesses E. H. MGCLOUD.

FOLDING DOOR. APPLIUATION FILED ma. 4. 190s.

924,686. l Patented June 15, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 'each other.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. MCLOUD, 0F COLUMBUS. OHIO.

Fonnmc noon.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. McCLoUn, a citizen of the United States, residingat Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Im rovement in Folding Doors, of which the foIllowing is a specification.

This invention relates more ,particularly to the class of doors that include sections that are hingedly related to each other and fold vertically together by movement toward the top of the doorway.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby the door is more easily and conveniently ilexed. in folding.

' Other objects will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, iii which is illustrated but one embodiment of the invention-Figure 1 is a front elevation looking at what is ordinarily the inner side of the door; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line y-'y Fig. 1; Fig. A3 is a vertical section -on the `line x-x Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section like that shown in Fig. 3 except that the door-is shown as raised to folded position; Y

Fig. 5 shows in front and partial sectional view a modification of the means for countei'balancing and hoisting the door, there being included in this view an illustration of the door for the pu ose of indicating the relation of the mod ied counterbalancing and hoisting means thereto. In this view arts are broken out for convenience in ustration. i

Referring more lparticularly to Figsxl to 4 inclusive, 6 and 7 designate respectively the upper and lower door sections. These sections are hinged to ether as seen at 8 so as to be capab e of eing folded toward 9 and 10 are links pivotally secured at their up er ends and in horizontal line with each other to small but strong bracketsll and 12 suitably secured to the Wall above the line of the to of the doorway. The lower ends of the lin 9 and 10 are pivotally secured to pins 13 and 14 onthe u per part .of the' lower section- 7. The axes of) the pivotal connections of links 9 and 10 With vthe section 7 are shown to be parallel to the axes of the hinges connecting the door sections and to lie in a lane considerably beyond the plane of t e face of the door, but said links lie in planes beyond the edges of the door sections sov as not to obstruct the movements of the'door sections in folding and unfolding. In their upper portions the links 9 and 10 are made with Patented June 15, 1909.

slots 9a and 1()a respectively, into which extend pins 15 and 16 projecting laterally from Ifeai' the up er corners ofthe upper door section. l ese pins are shown to be on brackets securedfto the face of the said section 6'. To reduce friction these con- .nections the pins 15 and 16 can loe rovided .23 and 24 behind which extend hooks 25 and 26 carried on the pins 17 and 18 to prevent the 'lower portion of the lowersection from pulling out.

Attached to the pins 17 and 18or to the hook members 25 Aand 26 are hoisting chains 27 and 28 that are shown in Fig. l to pass upward and over suitable pulleys 29 and 30 secured above the doorway. As shown at the u per right-hand corner of Fig. fl the hoisting clliains' are indicated to be assed over a double pulley, the additiona pulley designated31, and to be connected to a counterbalancing weight, as seen at 32. The shaft of the pulleys 30 and 31 can be provided with a gear-wheel 33 engaged by a pinion 34 operated'by a sprocket-wheel 35 and chain 36.

The means for counterbalancing or hoisting the door is susceptible ofmuch modification and does not constitute invention with me except so far as such might form an element in combination with my invention. Another means for counterbalancing and hoisting the door is suggested inFig. 5. It is essentially a fusee and comprises, as shown, astationary shaft 37, a drum 38, with springs 39- and 40 connecting the shaft and drum, and spiral pulleys 41 and 42 on which the hoisting chains, connected to the shutter as before described ,`run. The spiral form of the ull of the t y unwindoperating and couiiterbalancing devices described dispensed with, the door being held in position to which raised by any suitable device that might suggest itself to any ordinary mechanic doing the work. The chief point of my invention is the peculiar means for securing the easy flexing of the door at the joint between the sections. In respect to this it will be observed, referring more particularly to Fig.' 3, that the point of supplemental flexion 15 is amply beyond a straight line connecting the point of pull 17 and the point of resistance 13, and that the point of pull is kept in a line well beyond said point of flexion by the flanges 23 and 24 and hooks 25 and 26 holding the lower end of the lower section in its fixed path. In this operation the upper section follows or trails, so to speak, being free to accommodate itself to the movements of the principal hinging point 15 but properly guided by its connection with the slotted portions of the links to take the desired positions when o ened or closed.

A step-like lap-joint etween the door sections 6 and 7 near where they are hinged together can be used if desired.

When inA doorway-closing position the door sections can be locked from operation by means of a stationary member 43 on the lower section and extending across the joint betweenthe sections and engaged by a mov- .A able member 44 on the upper section.

' of the What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

.'1. A folding door including, in combination, two sections secured in lhinged relation to each other, the upper edge of the u per section being free ,to move toward and om the building having the o ening to be closed, a suspending link hinge ly connected with the lower of said sections and with the building having the opening to be closed, and means for guiding the lower end of said lower section, -tlie point of connection of said link with said lower section lying outside of a straight line connectin the guided portion of the lower section an the suspended point of said link and means for controlling the movement of the upper of, the hinged sections.

2. AA folding door including, in combina-- tion, two door sections secured in hinged relation to each other, the upper edge ofthe upper section being free to move toward and from' the building having the o ening to be closed, a suspending link hinged y connected with the lower of said sections and with the building having the opening to be closed, and means for uiding the lower end of'saidlower section, t ie point of connection of said link with said lower section lyin outside of a straight line connecting the gui ed portion ower sectionand the suspended point of said link, means connecting the upper section slidably with said link.

A3. A folding door including, in combination, two'door sections secured in hinged relation to each other, the upper edge of the upper section being free to move toward and from the building in which the door is installed, suspending links lying beyond the vertical edges of the upper section, hingedly connected with the upper corners o the lower of said sections and with the building having the o cning to be closed, and means for guiding t e lower end of said lower section, the points of connection of said links with said lower section lying outside of straight lines connecting the guided portions of the lower section and the suspended points of said-links, and means for controlling the movement of said upper section.

4. A-folding door including, in combination, two door sectionssecured in hinged relation to each other, the upper edge of the upper section being free to move toward and from the building in which thedoor is installed, and said section being provided with pins 15 and 16, suspending links hingedly connected with the lower of said sections and with the building in which the door -is installed, and means for guiding the lower end of said lower section, the oints of connection of said links with said lower Jection lying outside of straight lines connectin the guided. ortions of the lower section an the suspen ed points of said links, said links provided With slots 9 and 10, in which the aforesaid pins 15 and 16 project for controlling the movement of the upper section.

5. A folding door including, in combination, two door sections secured in hinged relation to each other, the upper'edge of the upper section being free to move toward and from the building in which the door is installed, said upper section provided with pins 15 and 16, and rollers 15 and 16, suspendinglinks hingedly connected with the ower of said sections and with the building in which the door is installed, and means for guiding the lower end of said lower section, the points of connection of said. links with said lower section lying outside of straight lines connecting the guided portions of the lower section and the suspended oints of said links, said links provided wit slots 9 and 10a and tracks 9b and 10b, said pins 15 and 16 projecting into said slotsl for control- A ling the movement of the upper section and said rollers running on said tracks.

6. A folding door includin in combinaclosed, means for guiding the ower end of said lower section, the point of connection of said link with said lower section lying outside of av straight line connecting the guided por-l tion of the lower section and the suspended point of said link, the upper section having a sliding connection with said link, and means connected with said lower section l'or raising and counterbalaneing the door.

7. A doorcomposed ol' two sections arranged one above the other with their adjacent edges hingedtogether, suspending links for suspending the door adapted to be pivoted at their upper ends to the building having the opening to be closed and pivotally connected with the lower section at points oii'set from the line ol` the hinged connection of the sections, said links having guiding connections with the upper door section, and means for guiding the lower portion ol' the lower door section toward the pivotal connections of the links with the building when the door is raised, whereby the door is Ilexed by flexing the lower section with reference to the links, substantially as described.

8. In a folding door, the combination ol two door sections hinged together, and links hingedly connected to one ol' said sections at points offset from the hinge of the section,

said links having guiding connections with the -other section.

9. In a folding door, the combination ol' two door sections hinged together, and links hingcdly connected lto one o'l' said sections at points offset from the hinge of said sect-ion,

said links having movable connections with the other section.

it). In a folding door, the combination oi' upper and lower door sections hinged together, suspending links having their upper ends adapted l'or pivotal connection to a building and their lower ends pivotally connected to the lower door section at a point below the hinges connecting the sections together, a. sliding support for the top ol' the upper section, a guide way, means l'or engaging the lower section with the guide way when the door is down, and means l'or coun- 'terbalancing the door.

11. In a l'olding door, the combination ol two door sections hinged together, suspending members having their upper ends adapted l'or pivotal connection to a building, and their lower ends pivotall)v connected to the door, the .lisposition ol' thil pivotal points ol' said arms being such as to impart a reciprocating movement ol' the upper door section when the lower section is moved, asliding support l'or the top ol' the upper section, a slideway l'or the lower section, and means l'or counterbalancing the door.

EDVARD H. MCCLOUD.

Witnesses:

ALBERT RUSH, PETER EBNER. 

